Uncoupling device for coach draw-bars



-(No Model.)

, A.L.MOHLER. UNCOUPLING DEVICE FOR COACH DRAW BARS;

Patented Oct. 19, 1897.

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Umrnn STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

ADAM L. M'OHLER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

u Ncou PLlNG DEVICE FORWCOACH DRAW-BARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,119, dated October 1c, 1897.

Original application filed April 3, 1897, Serial No. 630,548 Divided and this application filed August 5, 1897. Serial No.

647,162. (No model.)

To atZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM L. MOHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepinand State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Uncoupling Devices for Ooach Draw-Bars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and ex act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its especial object to provide an improved uncoupling device for use on passenger-cars. On-this class of cars the Miller or lateral acting type of automatic couplers are generally employed. Otherwise stated, the draw-bars are mount-ed for a limited lateral movement at their outer ends to effect the coupling and uncoupling actions. A stiff spring tends to hold the draw-bars in their coupled position; and the uncoupling has hitherto been effected by a hand-lever on the platform, connected by a link or chain directly to the draw-bar. Hence, a single stroke of said hand-lever must throw the draw-bar from its coupled into its uncoupled position. From its required location the lever must be necessarily short. From these facts it follows that the available leverage or power is not great. In practice, it has been found that it often requires two men to operate said lever for the uncoupling action. This uncoupling action is especially difficult and often impossible when the cars are standing on curves because of the excessive friction between the coupled parts.-

The object of my invention is to overcome the above-noted defects by the provision of an unconplin g device which will afford a very large leverage and correspondingly great power, and which, at the same time, will be of very simple construction and reliable in The device disclosed in my present application is inthe nature of a modification or a division of my original invention, another form of which is disclosed and claimed in an A application filed by me of date April 3,1897,

Serial No. 630,548, entitled Uncoupling device for coach draw-bars.

My present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein, like characters indicating like parts throughout the several. views- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a passenger-coach equipped with Miller platform and coupler to which my improved uncoupling device is attached, some parts of said car being broken away and the trucks-thereof being removed. I Fig. 2 is a plan View, with some parts broken away and some removed, showing certain of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the principal parts shown in Fig. 1, but illustrating different positions of the same.

1 indicates the body of a coach which is provided With the ordinary end platforms 2, steps 3, end sills 4, and draft-timbers 5. The couplersshown involve each a draw-bar 6, which terminates at its outer end in a coupler-head 7. I

, My improved releasing or uncoupling device willnow be described.

a indicates a pronged bracket, the upper flange of which is rigidly secured to the under side of the end sill 4 by means of nutted bolts or in any other suitable manner. The depending prongs of this bracket a are provided with suitable seats in which a plunger or ratchet-rack b is adapted to reciprocate transversely of the car-body. This reciprocating plunger or rack 19 is provided with ratchetteeth' I), cut on its upper edge, and the in- .ner end of the same is connected to one side of the draw-bar 6 by means of a short chain or link connection 0. As shown, said rack or plunger 1) is also provided with a depending lug 6 which works freely on a small rod f, secured in the lower ends of the prongs of the bracket a. A coiled spring f, wound on the rod f and compressed between said lug b and one prong of the bracket a, puts the plunger or bolt 1 under strain to move inward or toward the coupler. As shown, a stop-pin b in the outer end of the plunger or bolt blimits its inward movement. 1 g,

A hand-operated pawl-lever, which Works through a slot 8, cut in the timber or sill 4, is pivoted to lugs a on the bracket a. At its extreme lower endthis lever g is provided with a pawl g, which is adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth b of the bolt or plunger 1).

7.: indicates a retaining-pawl, which is pivoted to one prong of the bracket a and normally engages with the ratchet-teeth b to prevent the return movement of the plunger or rack b. This retaining-pawl 7a is provided with a projecting lug 71;, which normally stands in the path of the lower end of the lever g and the inner portion or hub of the pawl g.

It is very important to note that the hub of the pawl g is angular, or is so formed that by its engagement with the lug of the retaining-pawl 7; the free end of the same will be forced out of engagement with the ratchetteeth I) of the plunger 1).

The coupling action is, of course, that of the ordinary Miller couplers, and is well understood.

To uncouple the cars or set the couplers for uncoupling, when the cars shall be drawn apart, my improved uncoupling device is operated as follows: The lever g is operated with a succession of short throws and without throwing the lever or pawl g into engagement with the lug 7c of the retaining-pawl 70. Under this action of course the retainingpawl 7.3 holds the belt or plunger b wherever set by the hand-lever. By thus introducing a pawl-and-ratchet device and utilizing a series of short throws of the hand-lever, instead of a single long throw, as done with the old hand-lever, it is obvious that a comparatively large leverage is rendered available for pulling over the draw-bar. Hence one man can easily operate the said hand-lever and effect the uncoupling under all conditions.

\Vhen it is desired to release the draw-bar and allow the same to return into a coupling position, the hand-lever g is given an extreme movement, so as to throw the pawl g into engagement with the lug k of the retainingpawl 70. This, as already indicated, and as illustrated in Fig. 3, positively forces the retaining-pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth b; and, at the same time, this same engagement between said pawls g and 7c releases said pawl g and thus permits the belt or plunger 1) to return with the coupler toward the left with respect to said drawings.

The value of my improvement is thought to be obvious from the foregoing description, and is thought to be equally evident that I have accomplished the results aimed at by extremely simple and eflicient mechanism which will enable one member of the crew always to effect the uncoupling action with ease.

Vith this device cars may be uncoupled while a train is in motion; and this is very important, especially when a flying switch is to be made.

By my improved uncoupling device, therefore, the loss of time to the crew, the delays of the train, and the annoyance to passen gers incidental to the old uncoupling devices are entirely overcome. The feature of annoyance occasioned by uncoupling cars at night, when the passengers are, of course, usu-- ally asleep, has long been noted. Furthermore, the element of accident, which is incidental to the operation of the old forms of uncoupling devices, is eliminated by my invention. lVith these old forms of uncoupling devices it is necessary to hold the lever in its uncoupling position until the uncoupling action has been effected, and then, when the lever is released, it will be thrown violently into its normal position, under the action of the heavy spring, which returns it, together with the draw-bar, as already noted.

Obviously, this return movement of the old form of lever is dangerous. As already pointed out, in my improved uncoupling device the coupler may be drawn into its uncoupling position and there held until the cars have been drawn apart, and when the coupler is released by an extreme movement of the lever the said lever is not returned with the said coupler, but is subsequently returned by hand.

It will be understood that the details of the construction might be changed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Although especially designed for application to sleepers and coaches equipped with side-action couplers, it will also be understood that my uncoupling device is capable of application to other forms of couplers, and to railway-cars in general, by properly disposing and guiding the flexible connection from the Windlass-drum.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 0f the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination with a coupler, of an uncoupling device for the same, involving a ratchet-rack or reciprocating plunger with ratchet-teeth, a retaining-pawl normally holding said ratchet-rack from return movement, and a pawl-lever operating, under normal strokes, to move said ratchet-rack, and operative by an extreme 1n ovement, to release said retaining-pawl, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a coupler, of an uncoupling device for the same, involving a ratchet-rack or reciprocating plunger with ratchet-teeth, aretaining-pawlnormallyholding said ratchet-rack from return movement, and a pawl-lever, operating, under normal strokes, to move said ratchet-rack, and operative to release said retaining-pawl, by an extreme movement of the lower end of the same in the direction of the ratchet-racks releasing movement, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a coupler, of an uncoupling device for the same, involving a toothed ratchet-body, a retaining-pawl normally holding said ratchet-body from return movement, and a pawl-lever, operative to move said ratchet-body under normal strokes, and operative by an extreme movement, to

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is formed angular or flattened and is adapted to be engaged with the projecting lug of said retaining-pawl, by an extreme movement of I 5 said pawl-lever, thereby releasing both of said pawls, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADAM L. MOHLER.

Witnesses: J AS. F. WILLIAMSON, LILLIAN C. ELMORE. 

